NYPD Detective Allegedly Hacked 40 Email Accounts To Spy On His Ex

An NYPD detective was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly spying on
more than 40 email accounts, including 21 of his fellow officers.

NBC 4 New York reported that Edwin
Vargas, 42, was questioned last month for stalking his
ex-girlfriend online. Vargas suspected his ex-girlfriend had been
cheating on him.

According to an FBI press release, Vargas allegedly paid an
e-mail hacking service more than $4,000 to obtain the log-in
credentials of at least 43 personal email accounts and one
cellular phone belonging to at least 30 different individuals. Of
those 30 individuals, 19 were current NYPD officers, one was a
retired NYPD officer, and one was on the NYPD’s administrative
staff.

Vargas was also accused of accessing a federal crime database to
obtain information about two NYPD officers without authorization.

“When law enforcement officers break the laws they are sworn to
uphold, they do a disservice to their fellow officers, to the
department, and to the public they serve, and it will not be
tolerated,” Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said.

Vargas has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit
computer hacking and one count of computer hacking. Each count
carries a maximum one-year sentence.